仮説

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 仮説(かせつ) combines 仮, provisional, and 説, an explanation or view.
• Basic usage: It is a hypothesis formulated to explain observations and subsequently tested.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Formulating is not proving
  • 仮説を立てた means forming a proposed explanation. Its correctness can still be questioned, as in その仮説が正しいか, so formulation does not mean proof.
• Distinguishing 仮設
  • 仮設(かせつ) refers to temporary construction or installation. Despite the shared pronunciation, 仮説を立てる and 仮設住宅 concern different things.